Modifications of the Hurwicz’s decision rule

The Hurwicz’s criterion is one of the classical decision rules applied in decision making under uncertainty as a tool enabling to find an optimal pure strategy both for interval and scenarios uncertainty. The interval uncertainty occurs when the decision maker knows the range of payoffs for each alternative and all values belonging to this interval are theoretically probable (the distribution of payoffs is continuous). The scenarios uncertainty takes place when the result of a decision depends on the state of nature that will finally occur and the number of possible states of nature is known and limited (the distribution of payoffs is discrete). In some specific cases the use of the Hurwicz’s criterion in the scenarios uncertainty may lead to quite illogical and unexpected results. Therefore, the author presents two new procedures combining the Hurwicz’s pessimism-optimism index with the Laplace’s approach and using an additional parameter allowing to set an appropriate width for the ranges of relatively good and bad payoffs related to a given decision. The author demonstrates both methods on the basis of an example concerning the choice of an investment project. The methods described may be used in each decision making process within which each alternative (decision, strategy) is characterized by only one criterion (or one synthetic measure).     

Borch’s Theorem from the perspective of comonotonicity

This short note revisits the classical Theorem of Borch on the characterization of Pareto optimal risk exchange treaties under the expected utility paradigm. Our objective is to approach the optimal risk exchange problem by a new method, which is based on a Breeden–Litzenberger type integral representation formula for increasing convex functions and the theory of comonotonicity. Our method allows us to derive Borch’s characterization without using Kuhn–Tucker theory, and also without the need of assuming that all utility functions are continuously differentiable everywhere. We demonstrate that our approach can be used effectively to solve the Pareto optimal risk-sharing problem with a positivity constraint being imposed on the admissible allocations when the aggregate risk is positive.     

Analysis of the hyper-chaos generated from Chen’s system

This letter does some further researches on a newly proposed hyper-chaos found in [Gao TG, Chen ZQ, Chen G. A hyper-chaos Generated from Chen’s system, Int J Mod Phys C 2006;17(4):471–8], and gets some new results with some parameters of the system are definite and the other one varies. The basic dynamical behavior of the system under various conditions is analyzed, and the new findings is not only demonstrated by computer simulations but also verified with bifurcation analysis.     

Construction of cyclic quadrilateral: A pre-service teacher’s journey from subsets to the generic concept through instrumentation of a dynamic technology

This case study examines instrumented techniques of a pre-service mathematics teacher when utilising a dynamic geometry system (DGS) for the construction of cyclic quadrilaterals. Equally, it investigates her understanding of the hierarchical relations between the constructed cyclic quadrilaterals. For this aim, the hierarchical classification and instrumental genesis constitute the theoretical framework of our study. The data was collected through task-based interviews in which the participant was asked to construct the cyclic quadrilateral without using the circle tool in DGS. Data analysis was carried out to examine the participant’s development of construction strategies related to her instrumented techniques and her reasoning regarding the properties of different cyclic quadrilaterals. The analysis showed that the participant’s initial instrumented techniques enabled her to construct subsets of the cyclic quadrilaterals. Also, the process of reaching the most inclusive cyclic quadrilateral affected both her instrumented techniques and her understanding about the hierarchical relations between the constructed quadrilaterals.     

Witten’s perturbation on strata with general adapted metrics

Let M be a stratum of a compact stratified space A. It is equipped with a general adapted metric g, which is slightly more general than the adapted metrics of Nagase and Brasselet–Hector–Saralegi. In particular, g has a general type, which is an extension of the type of an adapted metric. A restriction on this general type is assumed, and then, g is called good. We consider the maximum/minimum ideal boundary condition, \(d_{\mathrm{max/min}}\), of the compactly supported de Rham complex on M, in the sense of Brüning–Lesch. Let \(H^*_{\mathrm{max/min}}(M)\) and \(\Delta _{\mathrm{max/min}}\) denote the cohomology and Laplacian of \(d_{\mathrm{max/min}}\). The first main theorem states that \(\Delta _{\mathrm{max/min}}\) has a discrete spectrum satisfying a weak form of the Weyl’s asymptotic formula. The second main theorem is a version of Morse inequalities using \(H_{\mathrm{max/min}}^*(M)\) and what we call rel-Morse functions. An ingredient of the proofs of both theorems is a version for \(d_{\mathrm{max/min}}\) of the Witten’s perturbation of the de Rham complex. Another ingredient is certain perturbation of the Dunkl harmonic oscillator previously studied by the authors using classical perturbation theory. The condition on g to be good is general enough in the following sense. Assume that A is a stratified pseudomanifold, and consider its intersection homology \(I^{\bar{p}}H_*(A)\) with perversity \(\bar{p}\); in particular, the lower and upper middle perversities are denoted by \(\bar{m}\) and \(\bar{n}\), respectively. Then, for any perversity \(\bar{p}\le \bar{m}\), there is an associated good adapted metric on M satisfying the Nagase isomorphism \(H^r_{\mathrm{max}}(M)\cong I^{\bar{p}}H_r(A)^*\) (\(r\in \mathbb {N}\)). If M is oriented and \(\bar{p}\ge \bar{n}\), we also get \(H^r_{\mathrm{min}}(M)\cong I^{\bar{p}}H_r(A)\). Thus our version of the Morse inequalities can be described in terms of \(I^{\bar{p}}H_*(A)\).     

On improving the accuracy of Horner’s and Goertzel’s algorithms

It is known that Goertzels algorithm is much less numerically accurate than the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) (cf. [2]). In order to improve accuracy we propose modifications of both Goertzels and Horners algorithms based on the divide-and-conquer techniques. The proof of the numerical stability of these two modified algorithms is given. The numerical tests in Matlab demonstrate the computational advantages of the proposed modifications. The appendix contains the proof of numerical stability of Goertzels algorithm of polynomial evaluation. AMS subject classification 65F35, 65G50     

Rebuttal of Kowalenko’s Paper As Concerns the Irrationality of Euler’s Constant γ

We rebut Kowalenko??s claims in this journal that he proved the irrationality of Euler??s constant ??, and that his rational series for ?? is new.     

On the Moments of the Absorption Time of Kingman’s Coalescent

Simple integral representations are derived for the moments of the absorption time of Kingman’s coalescent Kingman (J Appl Probab 19:27-43, (1982a)). Their computational efficiency versus known representations is established.     

Developing the roots of modelling conceptions: ‘mathematical modelling is the life of the world’

A study conducted with 25 Year 6 primary school students investigated the potential for a short classroom intervention to begin the development of a Modelling conception of mathematics on the way to developing a sense of mathematics as a way of thinking about life. The study documents the developmental roots of the cognitive activity, actions and conceptions of both modelling and mathematics that these beginners to modelling displayed. Understanding the conceptions of mathematics that students might hold or be developing and how these can be influenced in early schooling are essential ingredients in any plans for introducing modelling seriously into primary school classrooms. The majority of the students (22/25) were identified as displaying a developing conception of modelling as a way of problem handling. The three other students displayed the developmental roots of a way of understanding the world conception of modelling. These three students also displayed a Modelling conception of mathematics with one showing indications of developing towards a Life conception of mathematics.     

On the Behaviour of the spectral characteristic of Feigenbaum’s map

Let T _g : [?1, 1] ?? [?1, 1] be the Feigenbaum map. It is well known that T _g has a Cantor-type attractor F and a unique invariant measure ??₀ supported on F. The corresponding unitary operator (U _g ??)(x) = ??(g(x)) has pure point spectrum consisting of eigenvalues ?? _n,r , n ?? 1, 0 ?? r ?? 2 ^n?1 ? 1 with eigenfunctions e _r ⁽ⁿ⁾ (x). Suppose that f ?? C ¹([?1, 1]), f?? is absolutely continuous on [?1, 1] and f?? ?? L ^p ([?1, 1], d??₀), p > 1. Consider the sum of the amplitudes of the spectral measure of f: $$ Sn(f): = \sum\limits_{r = 0}^{2^n - 1} {|\rho _r^{(n)} |^2 ,\rho _r^{(n)} = \int\limits_{ - 1}^1 {f(x)\overline {e_r^{(n)} (x)} d\mu _o } } (x). $$ Using the thermodynamic formalism for T _g we prove that S _n (f) ?? 2^?n q ⁿ , as n ?? ??, where the constant q ?? (0, 1) does not depend on f.     

Impact of channel power and fairness concern on supplier’s market entry decision

In a two-stage supply chain comprising a supplier and a retailer, we incorporate the concepts of channel power and fairness concern to analyze the supplier’s decision on whether to open an online direct channel or not. With an online channel, the supplier competes with its retailer in a dual-channel system, but the retailer may shift part or all orders to another supplier as the counteraction. Otherwise, the supplier only obtains the wholesaling profit but loses that from the online market. Taking the retail prices and the quality of the online product as decision variables, we show that the introduction of a direct channel leads to the decline of online product’s quality and retail price. Interestingly, we find that the retailer’s profit may be decreasing in its channel power. Comparing the outcomes with those from pure competing channels, we find that the retailer’s order shifting strategy may result in a lose–lose situation for the two firms, but it can be a credible threat to the supplier’s market entry. We also find that the supplier’s fairness concern may effectively reduce its incentives to open an online channel.     

On the Kernel of the Borel’s Characteristic Map of Lie Groups

For compact and connected Lie group $G$ with a maximal torus $T$ the quotient space $G/T$ is canonically a smooth projective manifold, known as the complete flag manifold of the group $G.$ The cohomology ring map $c^∗: H^∗ (B_T) → H^∗ (G/T)$ induced by the inclusion $c:G/T→B_T$ is called the Borel’s characteristic map of the group $G [7, 8],$ where $B_T$ denotes the classifying space of $T.$ Let $G$ be simply-connected and simple. Based on the Schubert presentation of the cohomology $H^∗ (G/T)$ of the flag manifold $G/T$ obtained in $[10, 11],$ we develop a method to find a basic set of explicit generators for the kernel ker$c^∗ ⊂ H^∗ (B_T)$ of the characteristic map $c.$     

Feynman’s Operational Calculi: Disentangling Away from the Origin

In this paper we develop a method of forming functions of noncommuting operators (or disentangling) using functions that are not necessarily analytic at the origin in ℂ ⁿ . The method of disentangling follows Feynman’s heuristic rules from in (Feynman in Phys. Rev. 84:18–128, 1951) a mathematically rigorous fashion, generalizing the work of Jefferies and Johnson and the present author in (Jefferies and Johnson in Russ. J. Math. 8:153–181, 2001) and (Jefferies et al. in J. Korean Math. Soc. 38:193–226, 2001). In fact, the work in (Jefferies and Johnson in Russ. J. Math. 8:153–181, 2001) and (Jefferies et al. in J. Korean Math. Soc. 38:193–226, 2001) allow only functions analytic in a polydisk centered at the origin in ℂ ⁿ while the method introduced in this paper enable functions that are not analytic at the origin to be used. It is shown that the disentangling formalism introduced here reduces to that of (Jefferies and Johnson in Russ. J. Math. 8:153–181, 2001) and (Jefferies et al. in J. Korean Math. Soc. 38:193–226, 2001) under the appropriate assumptions. A basic commutativity theorem is also established.     

On the complexity of the closed fragment of Japaridze’s provability logic

We consider the well-known provability logic GLP. We prove that the GLP-provability problem for polymodal formulas without variables is PSPACE-complete. For a number n, let \({L^{n}_0}\) denote the class of all polymodal variable-free formulas without modalities \({\langle n \rangle,\langle n+1\rangle,...}\) . We show that, for every number n, the GLP-provability problem for formulas from \({L^{n}_0}\) is in PTIME.     

On the Sharpness of Mockenhaupt’s Restriction Theorem

We prove that the range of exponents in Mockenhaupt’s restriction theorem for Salem sets (Geom Funct Anal 10:1579–1587, 2000), with the endpoint estimate due to Bak and Seeger (Math Res Lett 18:767–781, 2011), is optimal.     

Krahn’s proof of the Rayleigh conjecture revisited

The paper is a discussion of Krahn’s proof of the Rayleigh conjecture that amongst all membranes of the same area and the same physical properties, the circular one has the lowest ground frequency. We show how his approach coincides with the modern techniques of geometric measure theory using the co-area formula. We furthermore discuss some issues and generalisations of his proof.     

Factorization of the R-matrix and Baxter’s Q-operator

The general rational solution of the Yang-Baxter equation with the symmetry algebra sℓ(2) can be represented as a product of simpler building blocks called -operators. -operators are constructed explicitly and have simple structure. Using -operators, we construct the two-parametric Baxter’s Q-operator for the generic inhomogeneous XXX-spin chain. In the case of a homogeneous XXX-spin chain, it is possible to reduce the general Q-operator to a much simpler one-parametric Q-operator. Bibliography: 22 titles. Published in Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 347, 2007, pp. 144–166.